#Interview with @ketadiablo, #Author of Moon of the Sleeping Bear

About the Book:

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It’s 1841. Identical twins, Lauren and Sage McCain are born into the upper echelons of Southern society but, through the evil act of a lonely midwife, they are separated at birth.

As adults, they have both found love, although they live in completely different worlds. Lauren lives on an affluent ranch and is loved by two brothers–one the father of her child, the other, her husband. One went off to war, leaving his brother to pick up the broken pieces of their lives.

Sage has found her soulmate among the Winnebago tribe and cherishes the abiding love from both her husband and children. But the Dakota Uprising in Minnesota has affected her life as much the Civil War has affected Lauren's.

Lauren and Sage don’t know the other exists…until Fate steps in twenty years later. Amid the flames of danger and destiny, their lives will be forever changed.

An Interview with Keta Diablo

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?
I can’t say, like many authors, that I started writing when I was in middle grade. But I did achieve my love of reading then. A wonderful teacher placed a copy of To Kill A Mockingbird on my desk and told me to read it. Of course, I fell in love with Harper Lee’s characters (who wouldn’t love those names?), and with her plot. I could feel every character’s pain and anguish and smell the air of the sultry south. The book stayed with me for a long, long time, and for me, that was the start of my love affair with the written word. Many years later, the reading of that book led me to writing. I started out with family history stories, true-life accounts of the pitfalls and perils of my ancestors who settled in this great country. Before long, I tried my hand at fiction and have bounced around in almost all the genres since.

What inspires you to write?
Many things…a newspaper article, dreams, even an overheard conversation at the local mall. Plus, writing is often therapeutic. If you’re going through a tough time, it might be harder to plop your butt in the chair and write, but before long, writing, the characters, the story (if it’s good) will take your mind off most of what’s troubling you.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?
Moon of the Sleeping Bear, Book 1 and its sequel, Dark Night of the Moon, Book 2, originated from one of those ancestor stories (see above). My g-g-grandparents settled here in 1860, and lived through many of the events that happen in both books. My g-g-grandmother was expecting her 11th child when she sent 3 sons, 1 son-in-law and a brother off to fight in the Civil War. Thankfully, they all came back alive, albeit with lifelong medical issues. It was a turbulent, violent time where settlers fought the elements, disease without cures and many times, Native Americans who had settled in the area decades earlier.

Are there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?
I don’t believe so. The stories I write eventually find their way to the public. Some take longer to polish and edit before they’re ready, but none are collecting dust-bunnies underneath my bed. Lol.

Tell us about your writing process.
I don’t have a ‘process’ per se. My best time to write is at night. I don’t use notebooks, stick-up notes, or outlines. I write the book mostly in my head, every scene, even down to what my characters wear in each scene. That isn’t to say I don’t research. When I’m writing historicals, I do a lot of research. In Chasing the Dead my research led me to the lifestyle, customs and beliefs of the Apache Indian. I even have an Apache “meaning of words” in the front of the book. I do keep notes while I write, jot down anything I think will fit into the story someplace.

What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?
I like the scene in Moon of the Sleeping Bear when the Indians attack the ranch, Full Circle. It’s a great depiction of the Lauren’s strength and courage when she faces down the natives, even though her aunt and uncle have just been slain. I can’t imagine living through that ordeal, and yet, many did during the Dakota Uprising of 1862.
I don’t always write about Native Americans, though, so please take a look at my Amazon page for a better glimpse of the variety of genres I’ve written in.

Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?
I think it would be an untruth for any author to say their characters aren’t like them in any way. There’s a little bit of me in all my characters, or at least a little piece of someone I know very well. We form our characters’ personalities, traits and even dark sides from those we’ve met and known in our lives.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?
I don’t know if it’s a quirk but I like it quiet when I write. That means, no television, no music, nothing. I guess I’m one of those that needs total silence while I concentrate of the words.

Do you read? Who are your favorite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?
Harper Lee, of course, even though she really didn’t continue writing after To Kill A Mockingbird. Maybe that book took everything out of her. Lol. I won’t name favorite authors because there are many, but I like to read psychological thrillers, western romance if it’s gritty (no mail-order brides for me) mysteries and urban fantasy. Occasionally, I read New Adult, but again it has to be out-of-the-box and a little on the dark side.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Read everything you can get your hands on and write what you know. Most importantly, don’t give up. More often than not, writers never make it big.

If you were to be stranded on the famous deserted island, what three things would you carry?
Laptop, Kindle and coffee, lots and lots of coffee.

What do you have in store next for your readers?
I’m finally writing the second book in the Bannister Brother series (Chasing the Dead) and following-up with a sequel to I Spy A Demon.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?
Thank you to those who support me, leave reviews, read my books and follow my book news. I love to hear from readers so email me anytime.

Read an Excerpt:

High-pitched shrieks reached Lauren's ears. Warriors raced their painted ponies through the yard with bloody scalps dangling from their spears. The leader stood at the top of the porch steps, his obsidian eyes hard and cruel; his face impassive. Lauren came to her feet, head up, chin out, and faced him.

Dressed in caramel buckskin pants and high-top moccasins, he struck a fierce pose. A dark blue vest covered his torso, adorned with beads in the shape of an oak tree and acorns. A breechcloth of the same fabric hung from his narrow waist and over his right shoulder, a pouch made of buckskin and porcupine quills danced beneath the glare of the sun. Three black and white feathers stuck out from behind his left ear, lying flat against his shiny, black hair. His dark eyes pierced her with a sinister glare.

She glanced to the rifle propped against his left shoulder, the one he used moments ago to kill Uncle Mason and Aunt Estelle. Their eyes locked again. She trembled beneath his bold perusal but he remained as still as a marble statue. With a flick of his wrist, he set his warriors into motion. Racing toward the outbuildings, they lit the torches in their hands, their bloodcurdling screams bringing Lauren to her knees.

The hostile looked down at her aunt and uncle before capturing her gaze again. Although terrified of the hatchet he lifted skyward, she stepped in front of her loved one's bodies. She would not surrender to their mutilation, not while she drew breath. A brief flicker of admiration passed through his eyes when he lowered the weapon and gave a brief nod.

About the Author:

Check out the Author's Amazon Page

Keta Diablo lives in the Midwest part of the United States on six acres of gorgeous woodland. When she isn't writing or gardening, she loves to commune with nature. A pair of barn owls returns to the property every year to birth their young and show them off in the high branches of the oak trees. Nothing more adorable than these white fluffy babies with heart-shaped faces. A lifelong animal lover, Keta devotes her time and support to the local animal shelter. Emma LaPounce, a rescued feline, has been her furry companion for the last ten years.

Keta is an award-winning and bestselling author who writes in several genres: Western Romance, Historical Romance, Paranormal Romance and Contemporary Romance. In a past life, she wrote Gay Romance. Her books have received numerous accolades, including RWA contest finalist, Authors After Dark finalist, Top Pick of the Month and Recommended Review from many top review sites, and Best Romance Finalist from The Independent Author Network.

P.S: For some strange reason, ghosts often show up in her stories.